The U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace and Security Timeline of Events 2010 2014 The U.S. Civil Society Working Group (CSWG) is a network of experts, NGOs, and academics with years of experience working on issues involving women, war, and peace. Inspired by and building upon the international Women, Peace, and Security agenda, the CSWG informs, promotes, facilitates, and monitors the meaningful implementation of the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. July 29, 2014 June 6, 2014 March 18, 2014 February 26, 2014 U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace and Security s Fourth Anniversary Members of the working group gathered to celebrate CSWG s fourth anniversary. Special guests, Susan Markham, Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women s Empowerment at USAID and Kristin Lord, Acting President of USIP, addressed the members and acknowledged CSWG s many achievements during the working session. Consultation with the Office of Global Women s Issues, U.S. Department of State Security met with Ms. Stephenie Foster, Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of Global Women s Issues at the U.S. Department of State, to discuss future opportunities of collaboration between the working group and the Office of Global Women s Issues. Consultation with UN Department of Field Support/Field Personnel Division Security were briefed by Kristina Koch, Chief of Recruitment Section, and Catherine Sung, Project Manager from the UN Department of Field Support/Field Personnel Division on a pilot initiative to create a new talent pipeline aimed at boosting the number of qualified women competing for and being appointed to director-level positions in UN Peacekeeping and Special Political Missions. Consultation with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office from the United States Department of Defense Security were briefed by Colonel Litonya Wilson, Deputy Director of Prevention and Dr. Suzanne Holroyd, Director of Communications on current initiatives to reduce the prevalence of sexual violence and improve reporting standards within the U.S. military. 1
January 30, 2014 December 3, 2013 August 30, 2013 August 29, 2013 August 23, 2013 May 30, 2013 May 22, 2013 Consultation with International Committee of the Red Cross and Human Rights Center, University of California-Berkley Security were briefed by Pascale Meige Wagner, Deputy Director of Operations, ICRC and Kim Thuy Seelinger, Director, Sexual Violence and Accountability Project, Human Rights Center in two separate presentations regarding each organization s work on the prevention of sexual violence and treatment options available to women in conflict zones. Congressional Staff Briefing - Creating Sustainable Peace and Security: The Need for Inclusivity in Syria and Afghanistan Security in conjunction with Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (D-MA) hosted a panel discussion on the need to include women and ensure implementation of the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace & Security. In particular, this discussion focused on the Afghan and Syrian contexts. Legislative Subcommittee Meeting with Mac Tolar, Military Legislative Council in Congresswoman Roby s Office (R-AL) Members of the Legislative Subcommittee met with Mr. Tolar to discuss potential co-sponsorship of the Women, Peace & Security Act. Consultation with Creative Associates International Members of the CSWG met with Charito Kruvant, President and CEO of Creative Associates International; Johanna Mendelson-Forman, Senior Associate, Americas Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies; and Michelle Hughes, Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer; VALRAC Innovation, LLC. The purpose of this meeting was to get insight from the Working Group regarding a new publication Strategic Blindness: Women in Community Development. Legislative Subcommittee Meeting with Wyndee Parker, Foreign Affairs Policy Advisor to Leader Nancy Pelosi Members of the Legislative Subcommittee met with Ms. Parker to discuss next steps for Leader Pelosi s office regarding the Women, Peace & Security Act. Consultation with Representatives of the Embassy of the Netherlands Members of the CSWG met with Mirjam Krijnan, First Secretary (political), and Joseph Hoenen, Coordinator on Women, Peace & Security; to discuss the development of the U.S. National Action Plan; the role of the U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace & Security vis-à-vis the U.S. Government implementation of the U.S. National Action Plan; and how the U.S. National Action Plan can be used to coordinate policy approaches to current crises. Meeting with Dr. Valerie Hudson Members of the CSWG met with Dr. Valerie Hudson, professor at Texas A & M and expert on international security and foreign policy analysis, to discuss the growing emphasis on women in U.S. foreign policy. 2
April 30, 2013 April 16, 2013 January 30, 2013 January 29, 2013 December 20, 2012 December 19, 2012 Consultation with the U.S. Department of State A discussion with the CSWG to include civil society voices in a Department of State response to the UN Secretary General s Report on Sexual Violence in Conflict (SVC), released March 14, 2013. Consultation with the European External Action Service A discussion to share lessons learned on U.S. NAP implementation as well as on the ground experience from civil society organizations working in transitioning countries such as Syria and Egypt. Partners in Peace and Security: A Panel Discussion on the First Anniversary of the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security: Progress and challenges An expert panel with representatives of the CSWG, the U.S. Department of State, USAID, the National Security Council and the U.S. Department of Defense met to celebrate the accomplishment of the U.S. National Action Plan, discuss potential challenges moving forward, and to honor the work of Ambassador Melanne Verveer. 24 representative organizations from the CSWG were featured in a knowledge and resource fair. Religion, Women, Peace and Security Discussion with Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook and The U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace, and Security Representatives from the U.S. Department of State s Office of International Religious Freedom, USIP s Center for Gender and Peacebuilding, and USIP s Religion and Peacemaking Center met to discuss the impact of religious freedom on the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. NAP Anniversary Event Planning: Meeting with the U.S. Department of State, USAID, and the U.S. Civil Society Working Group The CSWG met with representatives from the U.S. Department of State and USAID to discuss the potential for combined events especially regarding the one year anniversary of the U.S. National Action Plan and honoring the departure of Amb. Melanne Verveer from the U.S. Department of State Office of Global Women s Issues. CSWG Release of 1 year Anniversary of U.S. NAP Document November 28, 2012 U.S. Civil Society Working Group Strategic Planning Session #2 November 28, 2012 Women Leaders Promoting Peace and Security Consultation with African Representatives from the International Visitors Leadership Program The CSWG met with representatives from 11 African countries as well as Paris and Haiti to discuss lessons learned from NAP implementation worldwide. 3
November 5, 2012 Roundtable Discussion with the U.S. Department of State and NATO Lynette Behnke (U.S. Department of State), LTC Jesus Gil Ruiz (NATO), and Mari Skåre (NATO Special Representative on Women, Peace, and Security) met with members of the CSWG to discuss lessons learned and recommendations on indicators and assessing impact of WPS efforts October 18, 2012 U.S. Civil Society Working Group Strategic Planning Session #1 October 18, 2012 October 10, 2012 August 13, 2012 August 13, 2012 May 24, 2012 May 2, 2012 April 12, 2012 Consultation with Representatives from NATO and the U.S. Department of State The CSWG met with Lori Alemanno-Testa and Jacqueline Borsboom, of NATO, and Jamille Bigio from the U.S. Department of State to discuss lessons learned and recommendations on indicators and assessing impact of WPS efforts. Pakistani International Visitors Consultation The CSWG met with representatives Pakistan to discuss lessons learned from NAP implementation worldwide. The U.S. Department of State Releases Their U.S. NAP Implementation Plan USAID Releases Their U.S. NAP Implementation Plan U.S. Department of State Consultation with the U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace & Security The CSWG met with representatives from the U.S. Department of State to discuss their department-wide U.S. NAP implementation plan. U.S. Department of Defense Consultation with the U.S. Civil Society Working Group on the U.S. National Action Plan Members of the CSWG and representatives from the U.S. Department of Defense discussed the status of the Department of Defense s U.S. NAP implementation plan. Topics such as Sexual Assault and Prevention within the services, Contractors & FAR/DFARS, Security Cooperation, and Next Steps were addressed. U.S. Department of State Consultation with the U.S. Civil Society Working Group on the Women, Peace, and Security Representatives from the U.S. Department of State met with the CSWG to discuss the Protection Pillar of NAP as well as how to create a space to look more broadly at issues of GBV in countries not affected by conflict or not covered under the NAP. Also discussed at this meeting was a process by which to communicate with Civil Society organizations and the importance of including their inputs as well as the importance of communication with other key U.S. Government agencies. 4
April 9, 2012 February 14, 2012 December 19, 2011 December 19, 2011 November 28, 2011 November 4, 2011 May 5-6, 2011 February 15, 2011 January 2011 January 2011 Discussion of the U.S. Efforts to Advance Women's Rights Abroad The CSWG met with Amb. Melanne Verveer to discuss the issue of women s rights abroad. CSWG Releases Recommendations on the U.S. NAP The CSWG proposes 10 recommended actions to be completed within the first 150 days of U.S. NAP implementation. U.S. National Action Plan on women, Peace and Security Launch Announced Secretary of State Hilary Clinton announces the launch of the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. Executive Order Signed President Obama signs an executive order that establishes women, peace and security as U.S. Policy. CSWG Expert Statement Released CSWG releases statement which aims to assist the U.S. Government in turning policy into action and to engender effective outcomes that bring peace, security and dignity to the lives of women and men in conflict settings. CSWG Consultation with Robert Dresen of the Dutch Embassy The CSWG met with Robert Dresen of the Dutch Embassy to discuss the role of the civil society in the Dutch National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. Women & War Symposium USIP and CSWG members host an international symposium on the next decade of UNSCR 1325. Memorandum to U.S. Government Agencies Involved in Drafting the U.S. NAP This memorandum outlines four recommended benchmarks against which actions could be evaluated: gender analysis, inclusion, resources, and accountability. UNSCR 1325 Tutorial Based on Civil Society Working Group inputs, USIP develops an introductory web-based tutorial which offers overview of the UN Security Council 1325 on women, peace and security. Meeting of the U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace and Security The U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace and Security (CSWG) formulates the February 2011 memorandum with four benchmarks to USG agencies involved in drafting the U.S. National Action Plan. 5
December 10, 2010 November 3-5, 2010 October 26, 2010 USAID and Mainstreaming Gender: A Discussion with Civil Society Leaders Women and War Conference USIP, Civil Society members, USAID, the U.S. Department of State, and the World Bank hosted a three day event focused on women, peace and security. It featured an extraordinary coalition of national and international participants. Announcement of the U.S. National Action Plan (NAP) Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announces the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. July 27, 2010 Women, Peace and Security: Fulfilling the Vision of 1325 Members of civil society (IIS, WIIS, ICAN) hosted a working meeting to discuss the ten year anniversary of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325. The U.S. Department of State, USAID, and 20 countries were represented. 6